In seasonally adjusted terms, total personal finance rose by 2.1% in April 2005. Fixed lending and revolving credit commitments increased by 1.6% and 2.5%, respectively.

The total personal finance commitments trend series decreased by 0.6% in April 2005, the fifth consecutive monthly decrease. The fixed lending trend series decreased by 1.0%, while the revolving credit series fell by 0.2% in April.

COMMERCIAL FINANCE

Total commercial finance (seasonally adjusted) decreased by 13.7% in April 2005, following an increase of 3.7% in March. The increase in the seasonally adjusted series was driven by a decrease in revolving credit commitments (down 50.9%) which was partly offset by an increase in fixed lending (up 12.5%).

The trend series for total commercial finance decreased by 0.7% in April 2005, the fifth monthly decrease following six consecutive monthly increases. This fall was due to the decreases in fixed lending (down 0.1%) and revolving credit (down 1.9%).

The seasonally adjusted purchase of dwellings for rent or resale by individuals series rose slightly by 0.3% to $4,755m in April 2005. The trend series increased by 0.2% in April 2005, the eighth consecutive monthly increase but at a decelerating rate.

LEASE FINANCE

Total lease finance (seasonally adjusted) rose by 11.7% to $575m in April 2005. The lease finance trend series rose by 1.4%, the ninth monthly increase over the last eleven months.

ADDITIONAL TABLES ON AUSSTATS

TABLES AVAILABLE ON AUSSTATS

Additional tables are available from the AusStats as Time Series Spreadsheets. Select 56. Finance, then 5671.0 -Lending Finance, Australia.